“Were the saints bonkers?” asks Brassey in this irreverent foray into the lives of 17 of the oldest saints in the Christian canon. While he doesn’t list a bibliography, he does note that many of the saints’ stories were conflated with various local legends and myths and that this turns up in many of the sources like The Golden Legend. Children can ignore all that, though, as Brassey presents each saintly bio in one or two pages, with multiple images (like a graphic-novel page or an altarpiece, depending on your point of view), fast-paced narrative, and word-balloon dialogue over the figures. There’s St. Wilgefortis, who grew a beard overnight so she wouldn’t have to marry; St. Ives, who found a floating leaf that grew to boat dimensions so she could go to Cornwall to build a hermitage. Here’s St. Kevin, who knelt so still while praying that a blackbird built her nest in his outstretched hand and he didn’t move until the eggs had hatched and the fledglings were grown. It ends with St. Margaret, who was swallowed by a dragon, but she made the sign of the cross and the dragon exploded, freeing her. Quite delightful. (Picture book/biography. 7-10)
Pub Date: June 15, 2004
ISBN: 1-84255-082-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dolphin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2004
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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